MAKES: 12 servings TESTED BY: Linda B.
020 Flaky Biscuits
TASTING COMMENTS:
Fat creates a tender texture and helps to form the flaky layers in rolled biscuits. Butter delivers flavor. We tested with butter and a mix of butter and shortening. Because shortening is lower in water than butter, it creates more-distinct layers.—LB
prep 15 minutes bake 10 minutes at 450°F
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. cream of tartar
- ¾ cup butter or ½ cup butter and ¼ cup shortening
- 1 cup milk
- Milk for brushing (optional)
Double-acting baking powder creates carbon dioxide bubbles that “lift” baked goods in two ways: once when it’s combined with a liquid and again when it’s exposed to heat.
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar.* Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add the 1 cup milk. Using a fork, stir just until mixture is moistened.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it just until dough holds together. Pat or lightly roll dough until ¾ inch thick.** Cut dough with a floured 2½-inch biscuit cutter; reroll scraps as necessary and dip cutter into flour between cuts.
3. Place dough circles 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. If desired, brush with additional milk. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden.
*tip If baking powder or cream of tartar appears lumpy, sift it through a fine-mesh sieve.
**tip Alternately, roll dough into a circle; cut into wedges. Or roll into a rectangle; cut into strips or squares.
Per serving 231 cal., 12 g fat (7 g sat. fat), 32 mg chol., 427 mg sodium, 26 g carb., 1 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 4 g pro.
Drop Biscuits Prepare as directed through Step 1, except increase milk to 1¼ cups. Drop dough into 12 mounds onto a greased baking sheet. Bake as directed.
Buttermilk Biscuits Prepare as directed, except for rolled-dough biscuits, substitute 1¼ cups buttermilk or sour milk (see tip) for the 1 cup milk. For drop biscuits, substitute 1½ cups buttermilk or sour milk for the 1¼ cups milk.
Greek Stir in ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, ⅓ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives, and ⅓ cup snipped dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) with the flour-butter mixture.
Chile Cheese Stir 2 Tbsp. chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see tip) and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the milk.
White Cheddar and Prosciutto Stir in ⅓ cup sliced green onions, ¾ cup shredded white cheddar cheese, and 2 Tbsp. chopped prosciutto with the flour-butter mixture.
Garlic and Herb Stir 3 or 4 cloves roasted garlic, minced, and 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme into the milk.
Bacon and Blue Cheese Stir in 2 slices cooked, crumbled bacon and ½ cup crumbled blue cheese with the flour-butter mixture.
Pepper ‘n’ Parmesan Stir in 2 tsp. cracked black pepper and 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese with the flour-butter mixture. Sprinkle cut biscuits with additional Parmesan.
Chocolate Chip-Orange Stir in ⅓ cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces and 2 tsp. orange zest with the flour-butter mixture. Sprinkle cut biscuits with additional sugar.
Sugar and Cinnamon Increase sugar in biscuits to 2 Tbsp. Stir in ⅓ cup raisins and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon with the flour-butter mixture. Sprinkle tops of cut biscuits with a mixture of 2 tsp. sugar and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon.
